


better than none

by commanderkallian



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, Non-Canon Inquisitor (Dragon Age), Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - Here Lies the Abyss, other advisors mentioned, referenced Tabris/Alistair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:10:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26480116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/commanderkallian/pseuds/commanderkallian
Summary: Alistair, gone. Come to Skyhold.She will.And when she does, Taralen Belavahn has a lot to answer for.The Hero of Ferelden arrives at Skyhold.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	better than none

**Author's Note:**

> just a little snippet for a prompt on the Dragon Ages discord!  
> technically a follow-up to all but broken, but all you really need to know is that alistair was romanced and left in the fade  
> title from kiss with a fist by florence + the machine

Kallian's had time to think, days spent riding up the mountains alone. She's processed her grief. Taken the time to mourn. Compartmentalized. Yes, the Inquisitor is why Alistair isn't going to greet her with a kiss and that dopey half grin, but that's alright. The Herald's an important man, and you have to make sacrifices during a war. She would know. It's understandable.

Also understandable is the utter chaos that erupts after her first swing hits true. More than one person is shouting, someone's pulling her back hard by an elbow, the Antivan who'd first introduced them is ushering Belavahn back while he tries to stop the blood gushing from his nose, and he looks _afraid_ of her. Good. She's killed better men for less.

Whoever's behind her actually tries to restrain her, Maker bless them. She twists around, ignores the way it makes leather rub raw against her wrists. The human she's broken away from draws his blade. Kallian scoffs and plucks her mother's dagger from its spot on her hip, ready for a real fight.

" _Kallian!_ " comes a familiar voice both furious and concerned. ( _Kahl-yin_ , like how her mother used to say it. _Kal-ee-in,_ the humans insisted on until she gave up and started going by her surname. She's fond of it now, from the right people. But Fereldans _never_ say it properly, so that means-)

She tosses a handful of powder toward the face in front of her then drops low, dips quick to the side just in time to get grabbed by the neck of her armor. Her assailant pulls her upward like scruffing a misbehaving cat.

"Hello again, Leliana," she hums. "Fancy meeting you here."

" _Kallian_ ," the spymaster repeats, tugging the leather until the elf is forced to face her. "Are you done?"

"I wouldn't mind another swing at the kid," she tries, just to be met with narrowed eyes. She refuses to shiver. Kallian's seen how she cooed over dirty nugs in Dust Town. There's no going back from that.

"We're done here," Leliana announces to the room at large. "Cullen, make sure the Inquisitor gets to a healer. Josephine, you'll want to speak with Varric. This never happened."

If only.


End file.
